CONE-BEARING TREES 271 



used for pit -props, and the larger ones as deals. It is an 

 evergreen tree growing to a height of eighty to one hundred 

 feet. The bark is thick, rough, and dark below, but a deep 

 orange above, where the bark peels off in thin flakes. 



The branches arise in false whorls (Fig. 180), three or 

 four at nearly the same level, and spread out horizontally. 

 The oldest whorl is the lowest, and they are gradually 

 younger towards the top ; hence the conical form of the 

 tree. Each branch in turn bears whorls similar to those 

 of the main axis. The lower, older branches become 

 broken and die, and often the leader also dies ; then the 

 upper branches grow considerably and form the broad 

 crown so common in old pines. The first whorl is formed 

 in the third year, and one in each following year ; so the 

 age of the tree may easily be determined. 



Examine the end of a branch and note the arrangement 

 and structure of the buds (see Fig. 67). The parts are 

 best seen when the buds open, about the middle of May. 

 The terminal bud is surrounded by three or four side buds 

 at nearly the same level. Growing on the bud-axis are 

 many spirally arranged scale-leaves with brown membra- 

 neous tips. In the axils of all but the lowest two of these 

 are buds. 



Trace the growth of these as the bud opens. Each small 

 bud becomes a short or dwarf shoot (Fig. 182, 1), bearing 

 several scales round its base, and at the end arise two 

 narrow leathery needles. Note their shape and how they 

 are packed together in the bud. They are semicircular 

 in section with their flat, upper surfaces applied to each 

 other. A bud thus gives rise to two kinds of shoots and 

 two kinds of leaves : (1) long shoots, which bear scale- 

 leaves only (Fig. 182, 2), and (2) dwarf shoots, which bear 

 scale-leaves and a pair of green needle-leaves (Fig. 182, 1). 

 Pine needles remain on the tree three or four years, some 

 falling each season. 



